The problem of leaf disposal has changed over the past several decades. Previously, leaves and other organic lawn and garden debris such as tree limbs and branches were raked by hand, collected and burned in an open pile. As concerns over clean air increased, open burning of lawn and garden debris was banned.
Leaf, garden and lawn debris was then collected in piles and allowed to decompose or was hauled or taken to landfills for burying. Decomposition of intact leaves is slow and may take several years before the material has completely decayed. For the last few decades, the burial of leaves and lawn debris has been an effective disposal method. In recent years, as environmental concerns about landfills has increased, the cost of burying trash, garbage, and debris has escalated. The availability of landfills has become limited. Landfill disposal rates have been increasing. In some areas, local disposal costs have increased from $3 to $5 a load to $28 to $35 a load.
Many devices have been created to deal with the problem of leaf, garden and lawn debris. Several are vacuum and pulverizing devices such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,658,318, 3,049,857, 3,688,479 and 3,712,353. Others are only vacuums such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,163 or are only wood or limb chippers, U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,311. None of these prior art devices have vacuumed up the leaf, garden and lawn debris, shredded the leaves and also chipped the lawn debris such as limbs and branches.